Blissful Ignorance
by The Homeless Poet
Summary: The curse never happened. Princess Emma grew up wanting for nothing, in a world where the Evil Queen was just a shadowy fairytale, practically powerless and grasping at straws for her revenge. But now a lonely figure from her parents' past resurfaces; things are changing in the Enchanted Forest, and it's up to Emma to fulfill her destiny. Royalty!AU, Huntsman/Emma, hurt!Huntsman.


**Title:** Blissful Ignorance

**Author: **TheHomelessPoet

**Genre: **Royalty!AU

**Ship: **Emma/Huntsman

**Summary: **The curse never happened. Princess Emma grew up wanting for nothing, in a world where the Evil Queen was just a shadowy fairytale, practically powerless and grasping at straws for her revenge. But now a lonely figure from her parents' past resurfaces; things are changing in the Enchanted Forest, and it's up to Emma to fulfill her destiny, a destiny no one ever expected, but that is hers all the same.

**A/N: ** Okay this is my first ever OUAT fic, and I don't know how it's going to go. Really, I'm just posting this first bit to gauge reactions and see whether this story is worth following up or not. I anticipate it working in a whole load of S2 (especially Hook because he's got so much potential) and possibly other fairytale characters too.

I also feel I should warn you guys that I'm ridiculously busy right now and really should /not/ be starting on a new fic which I forsee being of some length, so updates might be at the speed of drying paint, but they will come, you have my word on that!

Anyway, please leave a comment with what you think, because I'm really not sure if this idea is even worth continuing yet... I just love Emma/Graham, and want to see more of it out there!

(also available on AO3: /works/690391)

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A child is simultaneously a curse and a blessing; a blessing because there is nothing greater in this world or the next than raising a tiny part of yourself, seeing them blossom and grow into something far greater than you could ever have imagined, and a curse because every single moment of every single day there is that constant doubt of what is right. Are you being overprotective, are you leaving them too much to their own devices? When are they ready for more independence; and what if you're not ready for them to have more independence? How much control should you have; do you really know better; how narrow is the path between protecting them and keeping them in the dark; what happens when they make a decision you don't like; what happens when they want to do something you know isn't in their best interests; what if it is in their best interests and you just can't see that... The list goes on. On and on and on, for ever and ever, an endless spiral of self-doubt and worry.

This is what Snow White and Prince James encountered when their daughter was born that fateful day, and this is what they kept encountering as she grew older in their palace. It seemed that now their lives were full of more worry than they had ever felt before; but at least they were together. Because together, they could overcome any adversary, face any danger.

All the same, they didn't feel the need to burden their daughter with any of their shared worry. She was too young, too pure, too representative of everything they hoped their kingdom, their family, might one day be, for them to tell her anything of their fears. Sometimes it seemed that they only made it to the end of the day because they saw her face light up, that beautiful beam spreading across it, more powerful than any magic. To risk losing that was to risk everything.

And so, one way or another, Emma grew up in blissful ignorance, never knowing of the dangers the kingdom held for her or her family, never knowing anything of her parents' past. As far as she was concerned, the world was at peace, and her parents took great pains to keep it that way. Of course, she heard whispers - how could she not? - and of course, her naturally inquisitive nature led her to make several discoveries that her parents would have wished to be kept hidden, but still, she knew nothing of any importance until much later. The young family had eighteen long, wonderful years of fake harmony, obtained through secrecy and silent fear, before everything changed.

~{}~

Emma was nine when she first heard them talking about him. Of course, she didn't know it was him they were talking about - in fact, she had hardly any idea what they were talking about at all, as she was only able to hear fragmented whispers of her parents' hurried conversation outside her bedroom door. It was only later, looking back, that she was able to work out what they had been talking about all those years ago.

The second time, Emma was fourteen, and she understood more. She wasn't stupid; she'd heard the stories, heard whispers, tales of something to do with a wardrobe, and maybe a witch, but that's where it all started getting hazy. Of course, she knew the famous part of the story by now: how her parents' love overcame a sleeping curse to save the day, but that was all. And this time, this second time, when she came across Pinocchio and Jiminy murmuring in a corridor about a heart and a huntsman... Well. Let's just say that it captured her imagination. All these secrets, all these hidden stories, what could they do but set her soul alight with the desire to know more?

She searched the palace libraries for anything that might tell her more about what had really happened, the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. She questioned everyone she could think of, subtly at first, dropped hints here and there, but then as her frustration grew, as she failed to find anything but barriers and more secrets at every turn, her investigations grew more open, interrogating anyone she crossed paths with. She even asked her parents, despite the fact that she knew they would never tell her anything. And they brushed off her questions with vague answers, just like she knew they would. But that only served to fuel her determination.

'Emma was asking me again today,' she heard her mother say one evening, after they had said their goodnights. 'Are we really sure keeping this from her is the right thing to do?'

She heard her father sigh, and could imagine every line on his face, the turn of the eyebrows, lacing of his lips. 'I don't know, Snow... Honestly? I think she's too young for all this still. We should let her be happy while she still can. Maybe wait a year, two. If she still wants to know then, well... I suppose we can't protect her for ever.'

The third time Emma heard him spoken of, she was eighteen, and she had just disobeyed her parents for the first time in her life.

She left the palace alone.

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**A/N:** There! What do you think? I'm actually really excited about this story. Once it gets going (in the next chapter), and we meet all the characters, it should be pretty awesome =]

I don't usually ask for reviews because I always feel slightly desperate and annoying if I do, but I honestly have no idea if this story is worth continuing - I feel like it is, but if you guys don't tell me one way or another I'll just assume it's terrible because I have the self-esteem of a teapot. So please, just leave me a couple of words and give a girl some hope?


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